The invention relates to a process and apparatus for cleaning a swimming pool, where the apparatus, device, moves back and forth in the swimming pool, and where the device has a gear that can be switched between reverse and forward with driving gears or belt drives during operation; with a contact rail frontally positioned by the cleaning device's casing, as well as a rear positioned switch rail, where correction-dependent signals are supplied to the gear when the device is striking an obstacle via a control mechanism.
A process for driving a back- and forth-moving device to clean a swimming pool is known from the DE-A 3 110 203 which is provided with contact elements positioned somewhat in the direction of motion, by which the integrated drive motor stops at the started contact element when making contact with the swimming pool wall, whereby the device turns at an angle, which essentially refers to the longitudinal axis of the device and, thus, reverses the gear's direction of motion. With this device, the swimming pool will be cleaned in such a zigzag pattern that the corresponding wedge shaped stripes will not be cleaned.